Women's work

What is the right and proper work of a woman? Social commentators, comedians and writers have often added light-hearted wood to this fiery topic but my goal is to see what the Bible says about the women who walked with Jesus and who lived during the time of the early church. By studying the context and the language of the Scripture, we can confidently learn the Christian teaching on this subject of women’s work.

One of the first truths that a new Christian has to negotiate is that he or she is a ‘servant’. Sadly, modern society encourages an attitude of ‘why serve anybody’, while the Christian is instructed to serve everybody. Jesus said, ‘Whoever wishes to become great among you, shall be your servant. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.’ Mark 10:43,45. The Greek word which is translated as ‘serve’ in this verse, is the same word which is otherwise translated ‘deacon’ in the New Testament. It simply means, ‘One waiting on others.’ The early church appointed seven deacons to help with the distribution of food. They were administrators or managers, but for simplicity sake, we could think of them as ‘waiters’!

While these seven deacons were men, we discover a most amazing thing if we continue to study the language of the Scripture. We read in the Gospel of Luke that Jesus ‘began going about from one city and village to another, proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God; and the twelve were with Him and also some women, who were contributing to their support’. Luke 8:1-3. The word ‘contributing’ is also a translation of the Greek word diakoneo which means ‘deacon’. Therefore, we can surmise that women were recognised as deacons in the same capacity as men. Jesus valued His relationship with women just as much as He did with men saying, ‘Whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother’. Mark 3:35. He was one of the earliest and greatest liberators of women, and related to them as co-equals with men at a time when women were totally subjugated by men.

After Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, the reports of the early Christian church included many accounts about women. This is remarkable, given that the cultural custom of the time was to nominate houses and villages by the men living in them. But the writers of the New Testament recognised the houses of Mary, Lydia, Phoebe, and Dorcas, not to mention an entire village known as the village of Mary and Martha. These deaconing women were well-known throughout the early church because their houses were central to the work and growth of God’s people. Furthermore, the apostle Paul succinctly stated that there is no division or separation in God’s body of people and that there is ‘neither male nor female’. Gal 3:28. We can conclude that at the point of our Christian service, God has given gifts and graces to all people regardless of their gender, and we can employ these capacities in deaconing others. All Christians are free to serve according to our own initiative and motivation, and the evidence of our grace will be in the work that grows around us.

Bronwen Matthews

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July 2010

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